By Travis Johnson

Adapted from the series of novels by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck (written under the pseudonym James S. A. Corey), The Expanse is one of the best science fiction series to come along in ages. Utilising a hard(ish) SF setting that eschews faster than light travel, laser guns, and the various other trappings of space opera, and following the exploits of a sprawling cast of characters who inhabit a politically complex and dangerous solar system, it’s got both sci-fi fans and connoisseurs of prestige TV drama excited as all heck.

One of the show’s most intriguing characters is Chrisjen Avasarala, played by Shoreh Aghdashloo (The Stoning of Soraya M., Star Trek Beyond), a canny political operator whose position as UN Assistant Undersecretary of Executive Administration makes her effectively the operational head of Earth’s government. Walking the line between pragmatism and ruthlessness, Avasarala maneuvers and manipulates the big board of system politics to ensure Earth stays ahead of its rivals, including an independent Mars and separatist groups in the Asteroid Belt. Agdashloo was good enough to field a few questions in between takes.

How did you hear about The Expanse and what was it that you liked about it?

I met with [showrunners] Mark Fergus, and Hawk Ostby, the writers of Iron Man and Children of Men, almost 10 years ago at the Palm Spring Film Festival. I told them how much I love their penmanship and they told me that “one day” they would write a character for me.

Six years later, Hawk Ostby called me and offered me the role.

Were you familiar with the book series going in? 

I was not familiar with the books at all. Unfortunately my line of work does not leave enough time for me to immerse myself in a novel.

All I can manage to do is to either read a book on tape, which I have done a couple of times so far, or read spiritual books in my spare time.

The Expanse is very racially and culturally diverse. Was that a factor in your decision to join the show?

Yes, indeed. One of the factors besides the writing of the show was the versatility of it. The Expanse is indeed one of the pioneers of this trend and its becoming more trendy by the day. The creators and the writers of the show are diligently following up the footsteps of the core of the idea of universalism in The Expanse novels written by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck.

Do you consider Chrisjen Avasarala to be a heroic character? Her pragmatism often leads her into some murky moral areas.

Yesterday’s heros are todays betrayers and vice versa. Morality begs to differ when a leader has to defend its people.
Avasarala believes in her mission to save the Earth from its predators at any cost. I have often imagined her as a Middle Ages female warrior whose wisdom has exceeded her physical strength. She believes in law and order. She seeks peace rather than revenge, though her actions would have been justified if she were to take revenge. Heroism is what Avasarala feeds off of every character associated with her.

She looks for the heroes in people, not beasts, knowing people carry them both.

I look at Avasarala as a humble public servant risking everything, including her life, on a quest for a Utopian society, where there is perfect social and political order.

How do you feel about the political systems and conficts the show depicts? Do you think it reflects or extrapolates from current tensions and situations?

All artists are affected by their socio-political environment and so are the writers of this show. I believe the show is heavily vested in the current global politics, and relatively speaks for today’s world, though the story takes place a couple of hundred years from now. As you know we are now on our third season, filming in Canada. Sometimes I wish we were a daily show, so our viewers could experience the relevancy of the show.

Where do you see Chrisjen as a character going in the future? Where would you like her to go?

I started reading the second novel in The Expanse book series, where Avasarala gets to come into existence in chapter five, and I was enjoying myself reading about her life and getting to know this amazing, sophisticated wizard, but then I decided to stop reading the rest. Something in me did not want to learn about Avasarala`s future, as much as I would prefer not to know when my big sleep is supposed to arrive, knowing it will affect all my actions today. I now collect The Expanse novels to read them after I am done working on the TV series.

I would love for her to cement the fundamental pillars of a humanitarian society before she leaves, a society where people are treated equally regardless of the color of their skins and their beliefs.

The Expanse is currently streaming on Netflix and will be released on DVD and Blu Ray on November 8, 2017.